Water-soluble derivatives of lipophilic drugs

ABSTRACT

A water-soluble reference standard is useful for immunoassays of a lipophilic drugs. The reference standard is a compound of formula (I): 
 
G-(L) n -Y  (I); 
 
where G is a lipophilic drug, L is a linker which is an alkyl group or heteroalkyl group containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, n is 0 or 1, and Y is a water-solubilizing group such as —SO 3   − , —NR—SO 3   − , —P(═O)(OH)(O − ), or —O—P(═O)(OH)(O − ), where R is H or an alkyl group of 1 to 10 carbon atoms.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/057,762 filed Jan. 25, 2002, and claims priority thereto.

BACKGROUND

There is a widespread need for the rapid and accurate detection of thepresence of drugs in organisms, including humans. Some drugs may have anoptimum window of concentration, within which they have maximumtherapeutic effect with minimal side effects. Some drugs may have athreshold concentration above which their long term use can be harmfulto the health of the patient. Still other drugs are illegal or areotherwise forbidden or restricted by regulating agencies. Measurement ofthe presence or amount of a drug in a subject can be accomplished by theanalysis of bodily fluids. Often, the drug of interest is present in alow concentration, making it difficult to obtain an accurate analysis.For example, drugs are often extensively metabolized in an organism,resulting in low concentrations of the drug in urine and plasma samples,and only trace amounts of drugs in saliva samples.

Drugs and/or their metabolites can be detected accurately through gaschromatography (GC) and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC);however, these methods are expensive and time consuming. Thus,immunoassays for the analysis of drugs in urine and plasma are widelyused. Immunoassays can rapidly detect the parent drug compound alongwith other structurally related drugs, including their metabolites. Ingeneral, immunoassays measure the binding between an analyte, such as adrug or drug metabolite, and an antibody for the analyte. Thesemeasurements may be done directly, by the detection of theanalyte-antibody complex; or they may be done indirectly, by measuringthe change in binding of the antibody and an analyte derivative, wherethe change is due to the presence of the analyte. Immunoassays typicallyinvolve the analysis of liquid samples. The liquid may be a free-flowingliquid in a container, or it may be impregnated within a porous ordiscontinuous solid phase.

Chromatographic immunoassays, which incorporate the use of a porousmatrix material into conventional immunoassay techniques, are described,for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,770,458, which is incorporated byreference herein. In this format, a complexing reagent is bound to aregion of a porous matrix material such as a fibrous or porous membrane.The complexing reagent is either the antibody to the analyte of interestor a derivative of the analyte that has been labeled to allow it to bedetected. The liquid sample containing the analyte is loaded onto thematrix material in a region away from the bound complexing reagent andis allowed to migrate through the porous carrier to the regioncontaining the bound complexing reagent. A second complexing reagent maybe added to this fluid flow due to its presence within or adjacent tothe matrix material or due to addition by the user. The secondcomplexing reagent may also be an antibody to the analyte or a labeledanalyte derivative. The measurement of the presence and/or concentrationof the analyte can thus be based on detection of complexation betweenthe analyte and two different antibodies (sandwich), the complexationbetween the analyte and one antibody (direct), or the change in expectedcomplexation between an antibody and a labeled derivative of the analyte(competitive).

The detection of drugs by immunoassays, including chromatographicimmunoassays, requires a drug standard. A solution having a knownconcentration of the drug standard in a buffer formulation is preparedand stored. This concentration and the measured response of the assay tothe standard are used to calculate the amount of drug in the testsample. This calibration may be performed before, during, or after theanalysis of the sample. For chromatographic immunoassays, which aretypically configured as single-use strips, the calibration may beperformed on a representative sampling of the strips as part of themanufacturing process. The standard solution of a predetermined amountof a drug can also be used as quality control material.

Drugs which are not readily soluble in water, referred to as hydrophobicdrugs or lipophilic drugs, are often difficult to measure bychromatographic immunoassay, since a constant amount of fully solubledrug standard may be difficult to maintain. This solubility behavior hasan adverse effect on the determination of analytes in immunoassays andis particularly troublesome in immunochromatographic detection, wherethe standard solution comes into contact with surfaces such as absorbentpads and porous matrix material. The compound may not stay in ahomogeneous state, and an accurate concentration of the standard cannotbe consistently maintained. Consequently, the consistency andreproducibility of the drug determination is compromised.

It is thus desirable to provide standards for lipophilic drugs that areuseful in immunoassays. It is desirable that these standards arewater-soluble. It is also desirable that these standards have adequatemobility under chromatographic immunoassay conditions, and that they arestable in water, specifically in a physiological environment. Suchstandards ideally will interact specifically with the antibodies thatare used in the assays.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the invention, there is a water-soluble referencestandard for an immunoassay of a lipophilic drug of the formulaG-(L)_(n)-Y  (I)wherein G is a lipophilic drug; L is a linker selected from the groupconsisting of alkyl and heteroalkyl containing from 1 to 20 carbonatoms; n is 0 or 1; and Y is a water-solubilizing group selected fromthe group consisting of —SO₃ ⁻, —NR—SO₃ ⁻, —P(═O)(OH)(O⁻), or—O—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻). R is selected from the group consisting of H and analkyl group comprising 1 to 10 carbon atoms.

In another aspect of the invention, there is a water-soluble referencestandard for an immunoassay of benzodiazepines of the formula

wherein X¹, X², X³ and X⁴ are independently selected from the groupconsisting of hydrogen, F, Cl, Br, nitro, amino, and alkylamido; E isselected from the group consisting of —H, alkyl, —OH, —COOH, and —COOR′,where R′ is an alkyl group containing from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; A is anaryl group; L is a linker group selected from the group consisting ofalkyl and heteroalkyl containing from 1-20 carbon atoms; n is 0 or 1;and Y is selected from the group consisting of —SO₃ ⁻, —NR′—SO₃ ⁻,—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻), or —O—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻). R′ is selected from the groupconsisting of H and an alkyl group comprising 1 to 10 carbon atoms. Thecompound has a solubility of at least 100 micrograms per milliliter inwater at 25° C.

In yet another aspect of the invention, there is a water-solublereference standard for an immunoassay of THC of the formula

wherein L is a selected from the group consisting of alkyl andheteroalkyl containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms; n is 0 or 1; and Y isselected from the group consisting of —SO₃ ⁻, —NR′—SO₃ ⁻,—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻), or —O—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻). R′ is selected from the groupconsisting of H and an alkyl group comprising 1 to 10 carbon atoms. Thecompound has a solubility of at least 100 micrograms per milliliter inwater at 25° C.

In yet another aspect of the invention, there is a method of forming awater-soluble reference standard for immunoassay of a lipophilic drug,comprising functionalizing a lipophilic drug with a water-solubilizinggroup selected from the group consisting of —SO₃ ⁻, —NR′—SO₃ ⁻,—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻), or —O—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻).

In yet another aspect of the invention, there is a method of forming awater soluble reference standard for an immunoassay of THC, comprisingreacting THC-8-carboxylic acid with DPPA and sodium hydroxide to formTHC-8-amine; and treating THC-8-amine with chlorosulfonic acid.

In yet another aspect of the invention, there is a method of forming awater soluble reference standard for an immunoassay of THC, comprisingtreating THC-8-carboxylic acid with DCC and NHS to form an ester;treating the ester with ammonium hydroxide to form THC-8-amide; reducingthe THC-8-amide with lithium aluminum hydride to form THC-8-amine; andreacting the THC-8-amine with chlorosulfonic acid.

In yet another aspect of the invention, there is a method of formingwater soluble reference standard for an immunoassay of benzodiazepines,comprising treating didesethylflurazepam with chlorosulfonic acid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial list of structures of benzodiazepines.

FIG. 2 is a partial list of structures of benzodiazepines.

FIG. 3 is a comparison of the benzodiazepine assay calibration curvesgenerated using water-soluble derivative 2 and oxazepam.

FIG. 4 is a comparison of the benzodiazepine assay calibration curvesgenerated using water-soluble derivative 2 and 7-aminoflunitrazepam.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to compounds that are water-solublederivatives of lipophilic drugs. Water-soluble drug derivatives are madeby modifying the drug to have a water-solubilizing group attached. Thesecompounds are intended to have increased aqueous solubility and improvedstability under immunoassay conditions relative to the originallipophilic drugs. The present invention also relates to the preparationof water-soluble drug derivative compounds and to their use inimmunoassays, including chromatographic immunoassays.

The present invention also relates to immunoassays in whichwater-soluble drug derivatives serve as reference standards for thedetection and quantification of the parent lipophilic drug compounds inbody fluids such as blood, saliva, and urine. The water-solublereference standards of the present invention are particularly useful inchromatographic immunoassays. In addition to a reference standard, suchas the water-soluble drug derivatives, the chromatographic immunoassayincludes an antibody for the analyte, and a labeled derivative of theanalyte.

A derivative of a substance, such as a drug, refers to a species havinga chemical structure that is similar to the substance, yet containing achemical group not present in the substance and/or deficient of achemical group that is present in the substance. The substance to whichthe derivative is compared is known as the “parent” substance, forexample a parent drug or parent compound. A derivative may be made bymodification of the parent compound or by synthesis from other startingmaterials that are not similar to the parent.

Analyte refers to the substance, or group of substances, whose presenceor amount thereof in a liquid medium is to be determined including, butnot limited to, any drug or drug derivative, hormone, protein antigen,oligonucleotide, hapten, or hapten-carrier complex. An analyte analog isany substance, or group of substances, which behaves in a similar mannerto the analyte, or in a manner conducive to achieving a desired assayresult with respect to binding affinity and/or specificity of theantibody for the analyte including, but not limited to, derivatives,metabolites, and isomers thereof.

Antibody means a specific binding partner of the analyte and is meant toinclude any substance, or group of substances, which has a specificbinding affinity for the analyte to the exclusion of other substances.The term includes polyclonal antibodies, monoclonal antibodies andantibody fragments.

Haptens are substances, typically of low molecular weight, which are notcapable of stimulating antibody formation, but which do react withantibodies. The latter are formed by coupling the hapten to a highmolecular weight carrier and injecting this coupled product into humansor animals. Examples of haptens include therapeutic drugs such asdigoxin and theophylline; drugs of abuse such as morphine, lysergic aciddiethylamide (LSD), and Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC); antibiotics suchas aminoglycosides and vancomycin; hormones such as estrogen andprogesterone; vitamins such as vitamin B 12 and folic acid; thyroxin;histamine; serotonin; adrenaline and others.

A carrier refers to an immunogenic substance, commonly a protein, thatcan join with a hapten, thereby enabling the hapten to stimulate animmune response. Carrier substances include proteins, glycoproteins,complex polysaccharides and nucleic acids that are recognized as foreignand thereby elicit an immunologic response from the host.

The terms immunogen and immunogenic refer to substances capable ofproducing or generating an immune response in an organism.

A peptide is any compound formed by the linkage of two or more aminoacids by amide (peptide) bonds, usually a polymer of α-amino acids inwhich the α-amino group of each amino acid residue (except theNH₂-terminal) is linked to the α-carboxyl group of the next residue in alinear chain. The terms peptide, polypeptide and poly(amino acid) areused synonymously herein to refer to this class of compounds withoutrestriction as to size. The largest members of this class are referredto as proteins.

“Alkyl” refers to a substituted or unsubstituted, straight, branched orcyclic hydrocarbon chain. “Heteroalkyl” refers to an alkyl groupcontaining at least one heteroatom (nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, orphosphorus). Examples of heteroalkyl groups include ethers, esters,amines, amides, thioethers, ureas, thioureas, carbonates, andcarbamates.

“Aryl” refers to any monovalent aromatic carbocyclic group of 5 to 10carbon atoms. The aromatic group can be polycyclic (i.e. naphthyl), canbe substituted, and may include at least one heteroatom. Examples ofaryl groups include phenyl, naphthyl, furyl, thienyl, pyridyl,nicotinyl, isonicotinyl, indolyl, quinolinyl, and isoquinolinyl.

Any sample that is suspected of containing the analyte can be analyzedby the method of the present invention. The sample is typically anaqueous solution such as a body fluid from a host, for example, urine,whole blood, plasma, serum, oral fluid, semen, stool, sputum, cerebralspinal fluid, tears, mucus or the like, but preferably is urine, oralfluid, plasma or serum. The sample can be pretreated if desired and canbe prepared in any convenient medium that does not interfere with theassay. An aqueous medium is preferred.

Calibration material means any standard or reference material containinga known amount of the analyte to be measured. The sample suspected ofcontaining the analyte and the calibration material are assayed undersimilar conditions. Analyte concentration is then calculated bycomparing the results obtained for the unknown specimen with resultsobtained for the standard.

The water-soluble reference standards of the present invention arederivatives of drugs, particularly of lipophilic drugs. Generally, theterm “lipophilic” means having an octanol/water partition coefficientwhich is sensitive to pH. For example, a lipophilic drug will have anoctanol/water partition coefficient which is higher at a basic pH (pHfrom 8.5 to 14) than at a neutral pH (pH from 6.5 to 8.5). The term“lipophilic” can also mean having a water solubility less than 100micrograms per milliliter (μg/mL) of water at 25° C. at neutral pH.Examples of the drugs that may be modified to contain awater-solubilizing group include, but are not limited to,benzodiazepines; cannabinoids, such as THC; opiates, such as heroin,morphine and codeine; cocaine; propoxyphine; phencyclidines, such asPCP; methaqualone; barbiturates; LSD; amphetamines; tricyclicantidepressants; and methadone. Derivatives of lipophilic drugs whichare also lipophilic may also be modified to contain a water-solubilizinggroup.

The water-soluble reference standards of the present invention arecompounds of the formulaG-(L)_(n)-Y  (I)where G is the lipophilic drug or lipophilic drug derivative; L is analkyl or alkyl ether group containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms; n is 0or 1; and Y is a solubilizing group which is sulfamate (—NR—SO₃ ⁻),sulfonate (—SO₃ ⁻), phosphate (—O—PO₃ ⁻), or phosphonate (—PO₃ ⁻), whereR is H, or an alkyl group containing from 1 to 10 carbon atoms. Thesolubilizing group Y necessarily includes environment-dependent forms ofthese groups, including protonated forms (i.e. —NR—SO₃H; —SO₃H; —O—PO₃H;—PO₃H) and salts of the groups with appropriate cations, such as sodium,potassium, magnesium, calcium, and ammonium. Preferably, thewater-solubilizing group is a sulfamate or a sulfonate. More preferably,the water-solubilizing group is a sulfamate.

The water-soluble reference standards of the present invention may ormay not contain a linking moiety (-L-) between the drug (G-) and thewater-solubilizing group (—Y). Linkers are well known in the art and areused to provide a spacer between a compound and the solubilizing group.Selection and preparation of an appropriate linking group is described,for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,144,030 and 5,237,057, which areincorporated herein by reference. The linker may be added to the drugbefore functionalization with a water-solubilizing group, or the linkermay be formed during the functionalization process.

Functionalization of lipophilic drugs with a water-solubilizing groupcan be accomplished by a variety of synthetic methods. For example,amine groups (—NH₂) are readily converted to the corresponding sulfamate(Y=—NR—SO₃ ⁻) derivative by treatment with a functionalizing reagentsuch as chlorosulfonic acid. The amines may be present on the drugitself or may be present on a linker. Amines may be derived from anumber of different starting materials by well-known synthetic methods,such as alkylation of ammonia with an alkyl halide and reduction ofnitro, nitrile or amide compounds. The Gabriel synthesis is especiallyuseful in the preparation of primary amines via the reaction of an alkylhalide with phthalimide in the presence of base followed by hydrolysisof the alkyl phthalimide intermediate. The conversion of carboxylicacids to a primary amine with the loss of the carboxyl carbon, known asthe Schmidt rearrangement, is achieved by treatment of the acid withsodium azide then NaOH. Aldehydes may be converted to amines bytreatment with ammonia or an amine followed by hydrogenation, known asreductive amination. Thus, a variety of different groups are readilyconverted to amines which may be converted to the sulfamates asdescribed above. (See, for example Streitwieser, Jr. et al. Introductionto Organic Chemistry, Macmillan, 1985, p. 698-707; see also March,Advanced Organic Chemistry, John Wiley, 1992, p. 499-500.)

Aryl sulfonates are commonly prepared by the electrophilic sulfonationof aromatic compounds using fuming sulfuric acid as the functionalizingreagent, while the alkyl sulfonates may be prepared by the oxidation ofthiols with nitric acid or barium permanganate as the functionalizingreagent. The sodium salts of α-hydroxysulfonic acids may be prepared bythe addition of a functionalizing reagent such as sodium bisulfate to acarbonyl compound. Epoxides also may be converted to α-hydroxysulfonicacids by treatment with a functionalizing reagent such as sulfite ion.(See, for example Streitwieser, Jr. et al. Introduction to OrganicChemistry, Macmillan, 1985, p. 766-769; see also March, Advanced OrganicChemistry, John Wiley, 1992, p. 410-411 and 1199-1200.)

Phosphate derivatives (Y≡O—PO₃ ⁻) are available via the esterificationof phosphoric acid or the hydrolysis of a phosphate triester. Thephosphonate derivatives (Y≡PO₃ ⁻) may be prepared from the hydrolysis ofphosphonate esters, which are in turn prepared by the Arbuzov-Michaelisreaction. (See, for example Streitwieser, Jr. et al. Introduction toOrganic Chemistry, Macmillan, 1985, p. 776-780.)

For example, a derivative of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primarypsychoactive constituent in marijuana, can be readily prepared fromTHC-8-carboxylic acid (SIGMA, Milwaukee, Wis.), as illustrated in thefollowing reaction scheme.

Conversion of the acid to an amine (THC-8-amine) is achieved by theCurtius rearrangement using diphenyl phosphorous azide (DPPA) followedby sodium hydroxide (NaOH) hydrolysis of the acyl azide intermediate.The resultant amine is treated with chlorosulfonic acid (ClSO₃H) andtriethylamine (Et₃N) to yield the water soluble THC-8-sulfamatederivative. This particular derivative does not contain a linking groupbetween the water solubilizing group and the hydrophobic drug.

An example of a method of converting THC-8-carboxylic acid to a watersoluble derivative containing a linker, in this case —CH₂—, isillustrated in the following reaction scheme.

The acid is treated with dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) andN-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) to form an ester, followed by treatment withammonium hydroxide (NH₄OH). The resultant amide is then reduced to thecorresponding amine with lithium aluminum hydride (LAH), and the amineis then treated with chlorosulfonic acid to yield the water-solublesulfamate derivative (THC-9-methylsulfamate).

Another example of a family of lipophilic drugs that can be modified tocontain a water-solubilizing group is the benzodiazepines. Thebenzodiazepines belong to a class of CNS depressant drugs known assedatives and muscle relaxants. Examples of commonly prescribedbenzodiazepines are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The serendipitous discoveryof the benzodiazepine Librium (100) has led to the development of avariety of analogs, including flurazepam (200) and Valium (300). Thesecompounds have been extensively prescribed to treat a variety ofpsychological and physiological disorders including anxiety, depression,insomnia, muscle spasm, headaches, and dyspareunia. Increased dosages ofbenzodiazepines alone or in combination with other drugs can lead todependence and may lead to harmful overdoses. Chronic use ofbenzodiazepines can also cause physical dependence, with withdrawalsymptoms including irritability, muscle tension, and, in more severecases, hallucinations and seizures.

Although it is important to monitor the presence and/or concentration ofbenzodiazepines and their metabolites in an organism, the compoundstypically used as standards for benzodiazepine immunoassays providemixed results. Conventional compounds used as benzodiazepine standardsare nordiazepam and oxazepam.

Both nordiazepam and oxazepam are lipophilic when in the free base formand have limited solubility in the aqueous buffers used forimmunoassays. The free base forms of these compounds are typicallysolubilized by a small amount of organic solvent such as DMSO ormethanol, which decreases the accuracy of the correlation of thestandard with the sample. The solubility problems are especiallypronounced under solid phase immunoassay conditions where theselipophilic standards can non-specifically adsorb to assay media such asthe sample receiving pad the stationary phase. The hydrochloride saltsof these compounds are soluble in water and may be used instead of thefree base to prepare the standard buffer solution. However, due to thepH sensitivity of their solubility, the use of hydrochloride salts islimited to neutral or acidic conditions (pH≦7). As the pH increases, thefree base is generated, and the solubility is reduced. Although oxazepamhas a slightly higher solubility than nordiazepam, oxazepam is unstablein solution, especially at room temperature and above.

The compounds of the present invention include water-solublebenzodiazepine derivatives. Preferably, the water-soluble benzodiazepinederivatives are compounds of the formula

where X¹, X², X³ and X⁴ are independently selected from the groupconsisting of hydrogen, F, Cl, Br, nitro, amino, or alkylamido; -L- isan alkyl or heteroalkyl group containing from 1-20 carbon atoms; -E is—H, alkyl, —OH, —COOH, or —COOR′, where R′ is an alkyl group containingfrom 1 to 10 carbon atoms; A is an aryl group; and Y is thewater-solubilizing moiety as described above for formula (I).Preferably, -L- is —CH₂CH₂—. Preferably —Y is —NHSO₃ ⁻ or —NHSO₃H.Preferably, A is selected from the group consisting of phenyl, pyridyl,nictotinyl, isonicotinyl, and substituted derivatives thereof. Morepreferably X¹, X² and X⁴ are hydrogen, X³ is Cl; A is 2-fluorophenyl; Lis —CH₂CH₂—; E is H; and Y is NHSO₃ ⁻.

A preferred water-soluble derivative (2) can be prepared from abenzodiazepine parent didesethylflurazepam (1) according to thefollowing scheme.

The water-soluble reference standards of the present invention haveaqueous solubilities, which are greatly increased relative to theircorresponding parent compounds. Preferably, the aqueous solubility of awater-soluble drug derivative of the present invention is at least 100μg/mL at 25° C. More preferably, the aqueous solubility of awater-soluble drug derivative of the present invention is at least 500μg/mL at 25° C. Even more preferably, the aqueous solubility of awater-soluble drug derivative of the present invention is at least 1milligram per milliliter (mg/mL) at 25° C.

Water-solubility of the reference standards facilitates their use in theaqueous media of immunoassays. The aqueous solubility also minimizes oreliminates the tendency of the reference standard to non-specificallyadsorb to the surfaces encountered in a chromatographic immunoassay. Forexample, it is believed that water-soluble benzodiazepine referencestandard 2 has an aqueous solubility of more than 2 mg/mL, compared tolipophilic benzodiazepine drugs flurazepam and diazepam, which have onlyslight solubility in water. The conventional benzodiazepine standardsoxazepam and nordiazepam are practically insoluble in water.

The water-soluble reference standards of the present invention are alsomore stable in aqueous solutions at ambient temperature or higher.Stability is conveniently measured by monitoring the decrease in aninitial concentration of the compound in a solution by gaschromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), as described in Example 3below. The stability of the water-soluble derivatives provides forincreased storage times (shelf life) relative to conventional standards,and also permits immunoassays to be performed under a wider variety ofconditions, such as at temperatures above ambient. Preferably,water-soluble reference standards of the present invention maintain atleast 50% of their initial concentration in aqueous solution at 45° C.for a period of two weeks. More preferably, water-soluble referencestandards of the present invention maintain at least 75% of theirinitial concentration in aqueous solution at 45° C. for a period of twoweeks. Even more preferably, water-soluble reference standards of thepresent invention maintain at least 90% of their initial concentrationin aqueous solution at 45° C. for a period of two weeks. Even morepreferably, water-soluble reference standards of the present inventionmaintain at least 93% of their initial concentration in aqueous solutionat 45° C. for a period of two weeks.

For instance referring to Example 3, when stored in urine solutions fortwo weeks, the concentration of water-soluble benzodiazepine referencestandard 2 does not change significantly, even at 55° C. By comparison,the concentration of oxazepam in urine over a two week period does notchange significantly when maintained at 4° C., but is reduced by 88% at45° C. and by 100% at 55° C., due to decomposition of the compound.Referring to Example 4, water-soluble benzodiazepine reference standard2 exhibits no decrease in stability at 45° C. relative to 4° C. forstorage periods as long as 3 months.

The stability of the water-soluble reference standards also is typicallynot as dependent on the pH of the aqueous solution as are theconventional standards. This toleration of pH permits immunoassays to beperformed under a wider variety of conditions, such as in acidic, basic,or neutral conditions. Preferably, the water-soluble reference standardsof the present invention maintain at least 50% of their initialconcentration in aqueous solution at 45° C. for a period of two weeks ata pH from 2 to 13. More preferably, the water-soluble referencestandards of the present invention maintain at least 50% of theirinitial concentration in aqueous solution at 45° C. for a period of twoweeks at a pH from 5 to 9. Even more preferably, the water-solublereference standards of the present invention maintain at least 50% oftheir initial concentration in aqueous solution at 45° C. for a periodof two weeks at a pH from 6 to 8.

For instance, referring again to Example 3, the concentration ofwater-soluble benzodiazepine reference standard 2 does not changesignificantly when stored for up to 4 weeks, either at 4° C. or at 45°C., whether the pH is acidic (pH=6.4) or basic (pH=7.4). This stabilityis observed for concentrations at least between 100 ng/mL and 200 ng/mL.

The water-soluble reference standards are soluble in aqueousenvironments having basic, neutral, or acidic pH's. This results in anoctanol/water partition coefficient for the water-soluble referencestandard which is constant within an aqueous pH from 2 to 14. A constantoctanol/water partition coefficient is defined as having a value whichvaries by less than ±5% over the specified pH range. Preferably, theoctanol/water partition coefficients of the water-soluble referencestandards are constant within a pH from 3 to 12. More preferably, theoctanol/water partition coefficients of the water-soluble referencestandards are constant within a pH from 5 to 9.

The water-soluble compounds of the present invention are useful asstandards in immunoassays. The water-soluble reference standards formcomplexes with antibodies at a similar level to those formed by the drugor a labeled drug derivative. Thus, the response of an immunoassay to arange of concentrations of a water-soluble reference standard can beused to construct a calibration curve for the immunoassay. In additionto a useful standard compound, a system for immunoassay of a drug alsoincludes an antibody and a labeled derivative of the drug. Preferably,the system is a competitive binding immunoassay and includes both anantibody and a drug derivative conjugated with a carrier.

For chromatographic immunoassays, such as those described in U.S. Pat.No. 5,770,458, the reference standards are used to develop the assayproduct, to assist in formulation of the product during manufacture, andto insure the reliability of the product by testing selected samples(i.e. quality control). Variables in the ingredients of chromatographicimmunoassay strips include, for example, the concentration of antibodyor drug derivative on the porous matrix material; the concentration ofthe corresponding binding partner on any particles used; and theporosity of the matrix material.

Antibodies may be prepared in an antiserum by standard methods, such asthose disclosed in J. Pharm. Sci. 66, 235 (1977); Biochem. Pharm. Exp.Therapeutics 186, 167 (1973); J. Imm. 4, 135 (1983); and U.S. Pat. Nos.4,243,654, 4,046,636, 4,777,169, 4,043,989, and 4,083,948. Preparationof polyclonal antibodies using an immunogen may follow any of theconventional techniques known to those skilled in the art. Commonly, ahost animal such as a rabbit, goat, mouse, guinea pig, or horse isinjected with the immunogen mixture. Further injections are made, withserum being assessed for antibody titer until it is determined thatoptimal titer has been reached. The host animal is then bled to yield asuitable volume of specific antiserum. Where desirable, purificationsteps may be taken to remove undesirable material such as nonspecificantibodies before the antiserum is considered suitable for use in theperforming assays. Monoclonal antibodies may be obtained by hybridizingmouse lymphocytes, immunized as described above, and myeloma cells usinga polyethylene glycol method such as the technique described in Methodsin Enzymology 73 (Part B), pp 346, 1981. Conjugates with bovine serumalbumin (BSA) are preferred for coating of microtiter plates for use inELISA. This method has been used to screen the antibodies and iswell-known to those skilled in the art.

In order to provide an optimum antibody-antigen reaction that can bereadily displaced by the analyte containing structurally related drugs,the preferred antibodies are raised by immunizing animals with aconjugate of the drug or drug derivative with a carrier. Preferably, thecarrier is a protein. More preferably, the carrier is bovine serumalbumin (BSA) or bovine thyroglobulin (BTG). For example, for a givenwater-soluble benzodiazepine derivative, it is preferred that animmunogen is used of the formula

wherein X¹, X², X³, X⁴, A, E, and L are as described above, and T is acarrier.

For example, for the specific water-soluble benzodiazepine derivative(2), a preferred immunogen for raising antibodies may be preparedaccording to the following reaction scheme:

The acid compound (3) may be made by standard methods, such as byreaction of compound 1 with succinic anhydride in the presence of a basesuch as triethylamine. The acid compound 3 can then be coupled to avariety of carriers, including proteins, to provide a benzodiazepineimmunogen. Preferably the acid compound is coupled to BSA or BTG. Otherwell known methods for the preparation of the protein conjugates may beemployed as well.

In addition to antibody, a drug-carrier conjugate may be useful inperforming immunoassays. Carriers may be tracers such as enzymes,including β-galactosidase and peroxidase; fluorescent moleculesincluding fluorescein compounds; radioactive elements including ¹²⁵I;microparticles; and proteins including BSA and BTG. Carriers may becolored colloidal particles, such as colored latex or metalnanoparticles. Colored latex and gold sol are readily visible to thenaked eye when bound in the detection zone of a chromatographicimmunoassay, reducing or eliminating the need for additional developingprocedures.

For example, for benzodiazepines the preferred conjugate has a structurehaving the formula

wherein X¹, X², X³, X⁴, Z, and A are the same as defined above; Z is alinking group as described for L above; Q is an alkyl group containingfrom 1-20 carbon atoms; and T is a carrier. Preferably, X³ is Cl; Z isNHCOCH₂CH₂CH₂CO—; and A is phenyl. Preferably T is BSA. A preferredconjugate may be prepared according to the following scheme:

In the absence of lipophilic drug in a sample being analyzed, the drugconjugate can bind to the antibody, and this binding can be measured.When a lipophilic drug is present in the sample, the drug competes withthe drug conjugate for binding to the antibody. Antibody that is boundto the lipophilic drug no longer contributes to the binding measurement.Lipophilic drug content is determined relative to the values obtainedfor known concentrations of the standard compound (Adler, F. L. J.Immunol. 1971, 106(6):1684-1685. See also Bates, M. Amer. Acad. ForensicSci. 1991, 37(6): 1000).

Various ancillary materials will frequently be employed in an assay inaccordance with the present invention. For example, buffers willnormally be present in the assay medium, as well as stabilizers for theassay medium and the assay components. Frequently, in addition to theseadditives, additional proteins may be included, such as albumin, orsurfactants, particularly non-ionic surfactants, or the like.

The water-soluble drug derivatives may, along with other reagents, bepackaged in a kit useful for conveniently performing the assay methodsfor the determination of an analyte. To enhance the versatility of thesubject invention, reagents can be provided in packaged combination, inthe same or separate containers, in liquid or lyophilized form so thatthe ratio of the reagents provides for substantial optimization of themethod and assay. The reagents may each be in separate containers, orvarious reagents can be combined in one or more containers depending onthe cross-reactivity and stability of the reagents.

For example, a reference standard kit may contain, in packagedcombination, an antibody specific for a particular drug, a complexcomprising a ligand of a drug derivative coupled to a labeling moiety,and further comprising one or more water-soluble drug derivatives(reference standard) in a known amount for calibration of theimmunoassay. Such a reference standard kit may provide reagents for anassay with enhanced clinical sensitivity for lipophilic drugs andstructurally related compounds.

EXAMPLES

The following examples are provided as an illustration and should not beseen as limiting the scope of the invention. Reagents and solventsmentioned in these examples are available generally from Sigma-Aldrich(Milwaukee, Wis.) or Fisher (Suwanee, Ga.).

Example 1 Synthesis of1-(2-sulfamidoethyl)-2′-fluoro-7-chloro-1,4-benzodiazepine (2)

To a suspension of 405 mg (1.0 mmol) of1-(2-aminoethyl)-2′-fluoro-7-chloro-1,4-benzodiazepine dihydrochloride(1, Hoffman-La Roche Inc., Nutley, N.J.) in 20 mL of methylene chlorideat room temperature was added dropwise a solution of 840 μL (6.0 mmol)of triethylamine in 2 mL of methylene chloride. After the resultingmixture was stirred for 30 min, 140 μL (2.1 mmol) of chlorosulfonic acidwas added dropwise. The reaction mixture was allowed to stir for 1 h andthen extracted with water (60 mL×4). The organic phase was discarded andall aqueous phases were combined. The pH of the combined aqueoussolution was adjusted to 10.5-11 with a 35% NaOH solution and the basicsolution was extracted with methylene chloride (65 mL×6). The extractedaqueous solution was evaporated in vacuo to dryness, yielding 426 mg ofcrude product, which was shown to contain about 12% (wt/wt) of thesulfate salt of triethylamine. To purify the product, 200 mg of thecrude material was dissolved in ˜14 mL of water and a portion of theresulting solution (2 mL) was injected onto a Rainin preparative HPLCsystem equipped with a Waters pre-packed C-18 cartridge column (25×100mm) (Varian, Palo Alto, Calif.). The elution was made isocratically witha mobile phase of 10 mM ammonium acetate/acetonitrile (70/30, v/v) at aflow rate of 7.0 mL/min. UV detection at 308 nm was selected and thefraction eluted at ˜8-9 min was collected. The remaining crude solutionwas purified using the same procedure. After all 7 purification runswere completed, all the fractions collected at ˜8-9 min were combinedand then evaporated to dryness. The dried powder was dissolved withabout 50 mL of water and the mixture centrifuged. The supernatant wasthen transferred to a 100-mL round bottom flask for lyophilization,yielding 175 mg of white powder. ¹H-NMR (CDCl₃, 200 MHz) δ 7.82 (d, 1H,J=9 Hz), 7.51-7.68 (m, 3H), 7.33 (t, d, 1H, J=7.6 Hz, J₂=1.1 Hz),7.10-7.22 (m, 2H), 4.68 (d, J=10.7 Hz), 4.27 (quintet, 1H, J=7.0 Hz),4.03 (quintet, 1H, J=7.0 Hz), 3.88 (d, 1H, J=10.7 Hz), 3.25 (t, 2H,J=7.0 Hz).

Example 2 Preparation of Urine Standard Solutions for Immunoassays

Urine standard solutions were prepared using pooled, filtered, normalhuman urine containing 0.09 percent sodium azide. The urine pool wascertified to be drug-free as determined by the GC-MS analysis of a panelof drugs including benzodiazepines. The urine pool was aliquotted forthe preparation of the three different sets of urine standards, eachcontaining either water-soluble derivative 2, oxazepam, or nordiazepam.The urine pool had a pH value of 7.4 and an aliquot of the pool wasadjusted to pH 6.4 to compare the stability of water-soluble derivative2 in acidic versus neutral urine. Each of the drug stock solutions wasadded analytically to the assigned aliquot of urine pool. Final drugconcentrations in the solutions were determined by GC-MS analysesperformed at Elsohly Laboratories (Oxford, Miss.).

Example 3 Stability Studies of Urine Standard Solutions

The stability of the above standard solutions were evaluated using threedifferent analytical technologies: (1) GC/MS (gas chromatography/massspectrometry) analysis, (2) ABUSCREEN ONLINE BenzodiazepinesImmunoassay, and (3) HPLC (high pressure liquid chromatography)analysis.

ABUSCREEN ONLINE reagents and Calibration Pack were obtained from RocheDiagnostics Corporation, Inc. (Indianapolis, Ind.). ABUSCREEN ONLINEBenzodiazepines assay was run either on a Roche MIRA analyzer in asemi-quantitative mode, or using a Roche COBAS INTEGRA 700 analyzer in asemi-quantitative mode, according to the manufacturer's instructions.

The standard solutions were stored at various temperatures, including 4°C., 45° C. and 55° C., and tested at different time intervals. Thecomparison of heat stress stability of oxazepam and water-solublederivative 2 was performed using GC/MS quantification. As shown in TableA, there was a 100% loss of oxazepam at 55° C., and 88% loss of oxazepamat 45° C. in two weeks. In contrast, water-soluble derivative 2 wasstable at all temperatures, and the respective GC/MS values are allwithin the acceptable imprecision range for GC/MS analysis (i.e., within±20% of the starting concentration at Day 0). When the solutions ofwater-soluble derivative 2 were evaluated again at 5 months, the GC/MSvalues were 147 ng/mL, 150 ng/mL and 145 ng/mL for 4° C., 45° C. and 55°C., respectively. These values are also within the acceptableimprecision range for GC/MS analysis (i.e., within ±20% of the startingconcentration at day zero). TABLE A Temperature 4° C. 45° C. 55° C.Oxazepam 196 24 0 Day 0 = 196 ng/mL Water-soluble deriv. 2 191 178 185Day 0 = 171 ng/mL

The heat stress stability study of the water-soluble derivative 2 wasevaluated using ABUSCREEN ONLINE Benzodiazepines assay. As shown inTable B, ONLINE assay was used to evaluate two nordiazepam standards at4° C. and four different standard preparations of water-solublederivative 2 at 4° C. and 45° C. (in neutral and acidic negative urinepools, 2 concentrations for each urinary pH). All four preparations orwater-soluble derivative 2 were stable for the evaluated time andtemperatures. TABLE B 4° C. 45° C. Day Week Week Day Week Week pH 0 2 40 2 4 2 (ng/mL) 7.4 102 92 99 102 95 98 2 (ng/mL) 7.4 188 183 189 188179 192 2 (ng/mL) 6.4 99 97 106 99 101 109 2 (ng/mL) 6.4 191 191 193 191200 209 Nordiazepam 7.4 139 140 134 139 N.D. N.D. (ng/mL) Nordiazepam7.4 271 272 252 271 N.D. N.D. (ng/mL)

Example 4 Stability Study of Water-Soluble Derivative 2 Spiked in UrineUsing HPLC

Water-soluble derivative 2 was spiked in certified drug-free human urine(100 ng/mL) and the resulting solution was divided into two portions:one was stored at 4° C. and the other stressed at 45° C. After threemonths, both solutions were analyzed for the concentration ofwater-soluble derivative 2 by the following procedure. A volume (between2.5 to 10 mL) of the urine solutions was passed through an affinitycolumn packed with anti-benzodiazepines antiserum-coated latex beads(0.8 μm). After it was washed with a 50 mM, pH 6.1 MES(4-morpholineethane sulfamyl) buffer, the column was eluted withmethanol. The methanol eluent was then evaporated and the residuereconstituted in 404 μL of MES buffer. An 80 μL aliquot of thereconstituted buffer was injected into an HP 1100 HPLC system equippedwith a 4.6×150 mm Hypersil C18 column and a UV-Vis diode-array detector(with scanning detection from 220 to 460 nm) (Thermo Hypersil-Kestone,Bellefonte, Pa.). The column was eluted with a gradient generatedbetween a 50 mM, pH 6.8 ammonium acetate buffer and acetonitrile (TableC). TABLE C Time 50 mM NH₄OAc (%) Acetonitrile (%) Flow (mL/min) 0 100 01.00 30 60 40 1.00 40 30 70 1.00 60 100 0 1.00

The water-soluble derivative 2 eluted at approximately 18 min and itsarea count at 220 nm was used for quantification. The relative stabilityof the stressed sample was found to be 101% (average of duplicateextraction and HPLC runs that gave 96% and 106%, respectively), whichwas defined as the area count of the stressed sample at 45° C. dividedby that of the sample stored at 4° C.

Example 5 Synthesis of1-(2-succinateamidoethyl)-2′-fluoro-7-chloro-1,4-benzodiazepine (3)

To a suspension of 810 mg (2.0 mmol) of1-(2-aminoethyl)-2′-fluoro-7-chloro-1,4-benzodiazepine dihydrochloride(1) and 0.7 mL (5.0 mmol) of triethylamine in 30 mL of methylenechloride at room temperature was added 220 mg (2.2 mmol) of succinicanhydride. The reaction mixture was stirred for 20 h at ambienttemperature under argon. The solution was washed with 30 mL of 0.1 N HCland 3×30 mL of water. Methylene chloride was evaporated to dryness togive an oil. This was passed through a silica gel column using a mixtureof methylene chloride/methanol (90/10) as the eluent. The desiredproduct fraction was collected and the organic solvent was evaporated todryness to give an amorphous beige solid (905 mg). ¹H-NMR (CDCl₃, 200MHz) compatible with the given structure.

Example 6 Preparation of Benzodiazepine Immunogen (4)

To a solution of 40 mg of benzodiazepine acid 3 in 5 mL of methylenechloride was added 30 mg of N-hydroxy succinimide and 50 mg of EDC. Themixture was stirred for 20 h under argon. The organic layer was washedwith 2×10 mL of 0.1 N HCl, 2×10 mL of saturated sodium bicarbonate and2×10 mL of water. The organic layer was dried in anhydrous sulfate andthe solvent was removed under reduced pressure to give an oil. This wasdissolved in 5 mL of dry DMSO and put aside for protein couplingdescribed below.

BTG (800 mg) was dissolved in 16 mL of 50 mM potassium phosphate pH 7.5.The solution was cooled in an ice bath and DMSO (16 mL) was addedslowly. The ice bath was removed and to this was added dropwise the 5 mLsolution of the benzodiazepine active ester prepared as mentioned above.The mixture was stirred for 20 h at ambient temperature and theresulting immunogen was poured into a dialysis bag of a 50 K cut-off.The bag was dialyzed in 1 L solution of DMSO/50 mM potassium phosphatepH 7.5 (6:4), in 1 L solution of DMSO/50 mM potassium phosphate pH 7.5(3:7). in 1 L solution of DMSO/50 mM potassium phosphate pH 7.5 (15:85),in 1 L solution of DMSO/50 mM potassium phosphate pH 7.5 (5:95) and in 1L solution of 50 mM potassium phosphate pH 7.5. The immunogen was thenfiltered through a 0.22 micron filtration cup and its protein contentwas determined by the Coomassie Blue assay (Biorad, Hercules, Calif.).Aliquots of this immunogen were frozen and ready for use in animalimmunization.

Example 7 Preparation of Activated Benzodiazepine Derivative (6)

To a solution of 10.0 g (0.0876 mole) of glutiric anhydride in 50 mL ofTHF was added 10.0 g (1 mole) of N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) and thereaction mixture boiled under reflux for 3.5 h. The resulting solutionwas concentrated under reduced pressure to an oil. The material wastaken up in 50 mL of ethyl acetate and crystallization induced to yielda solid material which was filtered and washed with a little ethylacetate to yield 15.8 g (79%) of5-[(2,5-dioxo-1-pyrrolidinyl)oxy]-5-oxo-pentanoic acid.Re-crystallization from ethyl acetate and hexane afforded white needles.M.P.: 81-83° C. MA. Calc. For C₉H₁₁NO₆: C, 47.17; H, 4.84; N, 6.11.Found: C, 46.99; H, 4.87; N, 6.11.

To a solution of 10.0 g (0.044 mole) of the glutarate mono-NHS esterobtained above, in 20 mL of thionylchloride was heated in 45° C. under areflux condenser under argon. Volatile material was then removed bydirect aspiration of the reaction flask under vacuum through a cold trap(cooled by dry ice-acetone to give 8.5 g, 79% of the glutarate mono-NHSester mono acid chloride as a white solid, shown by ¹H-NMR to be of goodpurity.

3-Aminobenzodiazepine (5, obtained from Hoffmann-La-Roche) (2.95 g,0.008 mole) and triethylamine (3 mL) were dissolved 150 mL of THF. Thesolution was cooled in an ice bath and then, added with 2.7 g (0.011mole) of the glutarate mono-NHS ester mono acid chloride prepared above.This was stirred for 15 min. at ˜0° C. and the organic solvent wasremoved to give pale yellow foam. The material was dissolved in 100 mLof methylene chloride and the organic phase was washed with 50 mL ofwater, 50 mL of saturated sodium bicarbonate, and again with 50 mL ofwater. The organic layer was dried over anhydrous magnesium chloride.Evaporation of methylene chloride solvent affords a foam (1.8 g). Thefoam was recrystallized from methylene chloride and diethyl ether toyield 1.5 g of compound 5 as an off white solid. ¹H NMR is compatiblewith the given structure. The compound is ready for coupling with BSA asdescribed below.

Example 8 Preparation of Benzodiazepine-BSA Conjugate (7)

The benzodiazepine-BSA conjugate was prepared in a similar manner asdescribed in Example 6, but treating with BSA rather than BTG. Theproduct was prepared and stored in 100 mM potassium phosphate as 10mg/mL solution with 0.05% sodium azide as preservative

Example 9 Immunochromatographic Assay of Benzodiazepines UsingWater-Soluble Derivative 2 as Calibrator

The immunochromatographic assay was conducted using anitrocellulose-based test strip as described in detail in U.S. Pat. No.5,770,458. Mylar backed large pore size nitrocellulose (8-12 micron) wascut into pieces of 15 cm in length and 5 cm in width. A solution of thebenzodiazepine-BSA conjugate 7 (about 5 mg/mL) and anti-BSA monoclonalantibody (about 2 mg/mL), both in 50 mM potassium phosphate buffer pH7.5, were loaded onto Ivek Corp. (North Springfield, Vt.) DIGISPENSE2000 system. The solutions were dispensed at the rate 1 μl/cm ontonitrocellulose at a distance of 2 cm and 1 cm, respectively, from the 15cm side. The nitrocellulose segments were allowed to dry for about 30min. at 37° C., and then were blocked with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA, m w.13,000-23,000) solution in 20 mM TRIS, pH 8, for 30 min. at roomtemperature. The segments were then rinsed in water and dried.

The same nitrocellulose as described above in this example was used as aseparate membrane for microparticles (top membrane). The construction ofthe two-membrane strip configuration was carried out as described indetail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,770,458. In brief, the top membrane wasblocked and washed using the same protocol as the main membrane. The topmembrane containing the appropriate amount of microparticles waslaminated to the main membrane with Adhesive Research Inc. (Glen Rock,Pa.) adhesive mylar and the segment was then cut into 5 mm wide strips.The sample pad and sink pad were placed respectively at the beginningand terminal ends of the strips. Cellulose from Biorad Laboratories,Hercules, Calif. (gel blotter) was used for both the sample receivingpads and the sink pads. The calibration curve was obtained by addingsolutions containing predetermined amounts of drug in urine to thesample receiving pad or by dipping the sample receiving pad of themembrane strip in the solutions. Various predetermined concentrations ofwater-soluble derivative 2 were used to prepare the standards in urine.The signal strength is determined as follows: 2.5 to 3.0=dark blue, 1.5to 2.0=medium blue, 1.0=light blue, 0.5=barely perceivable color and0=colorless. When the strip read colorless, a complete inhibition isachieved and the sample is indicated to contain 200 ng/mL of the drugused to prepare the “standards”.

The comparison of the benzodiazepine assay calibration curves generatedusing water-soluble derivative 2 and oxazepam is shown in FIG. 3. Thecomparison of the benzodiazepines assay calibration curves generatedusing water-soluble derivative 2 and 7-aminoflunitrazepam is shown inFIG. 4. The calibration curves produced using water-soluble derivative 2as the calibrator have the largest span and the best near-cutoffdifferentiation.

Examples of calibration curve reproducibility are shown in Table D.TABLE D Benzodiazepine standard concentration (ng/mL) Standard Used 0 50100 200 400 Derivative 2 3.00 2.50 2.00 0 0 Derivative 2 3.00 2.75 2.000 0 Derivative 2 3.00 2.50 2.00 0 0 Oxazepam 2.50 2.00 1.50 0.50 0Oxazepam 2.50 2.00 1.00 0.50 0

The cross-reactivity of water-soluble derivative 2 to both oxazepam andnordiazepam is approximately 70% as determined by both ONLINEimmunoassay and immunochromatographic assay. When the concentration isadjusted appropriately, it can replace nordiazepam and/or oxazepam tocalibrate the assay without compromising the ability for the assay todetect other benzodiazepine-like compounds.

The above preferred embodiments and examples are given to illustrate thescope and spirit of the present invention. These embodiments are notintended to limit the invention, but will make apparent to those skilledin the art other embodiments and examples within the contemplated scopeof the invention. Therefore, the present invention should be limitedonly by the following claims.

1. A water-soluble reference standard for an immunoassay of a lipophilicdrug, the standard having the formula G-(L)_(n)-Y wherein G is thelipophilic drug, L is an alkyl or heteroalkyl linker containing from 1to 20 carbon atoms, n is 0 or 1, and Y is a water-solubilizing groupselected from the group consisting of —SO₃ ⁻, —NR—SO₃ ⁻, —P(═O)(OH)(O⁻),and —P(═O)(OH)(O⁻), wherein R is H or an alkyl group containing from 1to 10 carbon atoms.
 2. The water-soluble reference standard of claim 1,wherein the lipophilic drug is selected from the group consisting ofbenzodiazepines, cannabinoids, opiates, cocaine, propoxyphine,phencyclidines, methaqualone, barbiturates, LSD, amphetamines, tricyclicantidepressants, and methadone.
 3. The water-soluble reference standardof claim 1, wherein Y is —NR—SO₃ ⁻.
 4. The water-soluble referencestandard of claim 1, wherein G-(L)_(n)-Y is a compound of the formula


5. The water-soluble reference standard of claim 4, wherein n is 0 and Yis —NH—SO₃ ⁻.
 6. The water-soluble reference standard of claim 4,wherein n is 1, L is —CH₂—, and Y is —NH—SO₃ ⁻.
 7. The water-solublereference standard of claim 1, wherein G is a benzodiazepine.
 8. Thewater-soluble reference standard of claim 1, wherein the referencestandard has a solubility of at least 500 micrograms per milliliter inwater at 25° C.
 9. The water-soluble reference standard of claim 1,wherein the reference standard has a solubility of at least 1 milligramper milliliter in water at 25° C.
 10. The water-soluble referencestandard of claim 1, wherein the reference standard has an octanol/waterpartition coefficient which is constant within a pH of 2 to
 14. 11. Thewater-soluble reference standard of claim 1, wherein the referencestandard has an octanol/water partition coefficient which is constantwithin a pH of 3 to
 12. 12. The water-soluble reference standard ofclaim 1, wherein the reference standard has an octanol/water partitioncoefficient which is constant within a pH of 5 to
 9. 13. Thewater-soluble reference standard of claim 1, wherein the referencestandard, when dissolved in an aqueous mixture at an initialconcentration, retains at least 50% of the initial concentration at atemperature of 45° C. for 14 days.
 14. The water-soluble referencestandard of claim 1, wherein the reference standard, when dissolved inan aqueous mixture at an initial concentration, retains at least 75% ofthe initial concentration at a temperature of 45° C. for 14 days. 15.The water-soluble reference standard of claim 1, wherein the referencestandard, when dissolved in an aqueous mixture at an initialconcentration, retains at least 90% of the initial concentration at atemperature of 45° C. for 14 days.
 16. The water-soluble referencestandard of claim 1, wherein the reference standard, when dissolved inan aqueous mixture at an initial concentration, retains at least 93% ofthe initial concentration at a temperature of 45° C. for 14 days. 17.The water-soluble reference standard of claim 1, wherein the referencestandard, when dissolved at an initial concentration in an aqueousmixture having a pH from 2 to 13, retains at least 50% of the initialconcentration at a temperature of 45° C. for 14 days.
 18. Thewater-soluble reference standard of claim 1, wherein the referencestandard, when dissolved at an initial concentration in an aqueousmixture having a pH from 5 to 9, retains at least 50% of the initialconcentration at a temperature of 45° C. for 14 days.
 19. Thewater-soluble reference standard of claim 1, wherein the referencestandard, when dissolved at an initial concentration in an aqueousmixture having a pH from 6 to 8, retains at least 50% of the initialconcentration at a temperature of 45° C. for 14 days.
 20. Awater-soluble reference standard for an immunoassay oftetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the standard having the formula

wherein L is an alkyl or heteroalkyl group containing 1 to 20 carbonatoms, n is 0 or 1, and Y is selected from the group consisting of —SO₃⁻, —NR′—SO₃ ⁻, —P(═O)(OH)(O⁻), and —O—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻), wherein R′ is H oran alkyl group comprising 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and wherein the compoundhas a solubility of at least 100 micrograms per milliliter in water at25° C.
 21. The water-soluble reference standard of claim 21, wherein nis 0 and Y is —NH—SO₃ ⁻.
 22. The water-soluble reference standard ofclaim 21, wherein n is 1, L is —CH₂—, and Y is —NH—SO₃ ⁻.
 23. A methodof forming a water-soluble reference standard for immunoassay of alipophilic drug, comprising: functionalizing a lipophilic drug with awater-solubilizing group selected from the group consisting of —SO₃ ⁻,—NR′—SO₃ ⁻, —P(═O)(OH)(O⁻), and —O—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻).
 24. The method ofclaim 23, further comprising modifying the lipophilic drug with alinking group.
 25. The method of claim 23, wherein the functionalizingstep comprises treating the lipophilic drug with chlorosulfonic acid.26. The method of claim 23, wherein the functionalizing step comprisestreating the lipophilic drug with sulfuric acid.
 27. A method of forminga water soluble reference standard for an immunoassay of THC,comprising: reacting THC-8-carboxylic acid with diphenyl phosphorousazide (DPPA) and sodium hydroxide to form THC-8-amine, and treating theTHC-8-amine with chlorosulfonic acid.
 28. A method of forming a watersoluble reference standard for an immunoassay of THC, comprising:treating THC-8-carboxylic acid with dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) andN-hydroxysuccinimde (NHS) to form an ester, treating the ester withammonium hydroxide to form THC-8-amide, reducing the THC-8-amide withlithium aluminum hydride to form THC-8-amine, and reacting theTHC-8-amine with chlorosulfonic acid.
 29. A method of forming a watersoluble reference standard for an immunoassay of benzodiazepines,comprising: treating didesethylflurazepam with chlorosulfonic acid. 30.An assay method for determining the presence or amount of a lipophilicdrug in a sample comprising: performing a first reaction by combining asample suspected of containing a lipophilic drug with an antibodyspecific for the drug and a label whereby a detectable signal isproduced upon binding of the antibody to the drug, performing a secondreaction by combining a known amount of a reference standard accordingto claim 1 with an antibody specific for the lipophilic drug and a labelwhereby a detectable signal is produced upon binding of the antibody tothe reference standard, comparing the signal produced in the firstreaction with the signal produced in the second reaction as a measure ofthe presence or amount of the drug in the sample.
 31. A referencestandard kit comprising the reference standard of claim 1.